SC asked to cite Comelec execs in contempt

by RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- The Senior Citizens' party-list wants the Supreme Court to cite in contempt Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes and Commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph after the poll body failed to proclaim the group as winner in the 2013 party list elections.

The group also wants the High Court to stop a Comelec order remanding the case to a Regional Trial Court to settle the matter on the legality of the warring factions of the group.

Senior Citizens party-list Rep. Godofredo Arquiza said he is wondering why the Comelec could not pinpoint who among the warring groups are legitimate, since their faction already submitted legitimate documents while their rival group has been found by the Comelec to have submitted fabricated documents.

Their rival group is led by Francisco Datol Jr.

Arquiza noted that on January 13, the Comelec ruled to defer the party's proclamation until an RTC resolves the matter of the rival groups. This, even if the Supreme Court already ordered the Comelec to proclaim as winner the Senior Citizens' party list.

Arquiza is the group's 1st nominee, while 2nd nominee is Mila Magsaysay.

Magsaysay said the Comelec already found Datol's group to have submitted fake documents, prompting her to also wonder why the poll body still cannot decide who is the legitimate faction.

Both Arquiza and Magsaysay have noted that Datol is not a member of the party.

Datol's alleged attempt to amend the group's papers at the Securities and Exchange Commission was also rejected by the SEC.